Luke Shaw has played at centre-back four times for Man United so far this season.

Luke Shaw started at centre-back for Man United against Man City. (Image: 2023 Manchester City FC)

With Harry Maguire having fallen down the pecking order at Man Utd , and Victor Lindelof out of contract next year, it would not come as a surprise if the Reds opted to add another defender to their squad this coming summer – especially considering the injury issues that Raphael Varane has struggled with at Old Trafford.

Even after Lisandro Martinez arrived from Ajax in the summer transfer window, United continued to be linked with new defenders. However, with Erik ten Hag’s side currently possessing four senior centre-backs, something would probably have to give if they were to recruit at the end of the season.

Prior to the World Cup, the first-choice centre-back pairing was Martinez and Varane. The duo complemented each other well and looked solid alongside each other. Ironically, they came up against each other in the final in Qatar, albeit with Martinez remaining an unused substitute as Argentina lifted the iconic trophy at France’s expense.

Understandably, Martinez was keen to celebrate the triumph with his teammates in Argentina, but the South American side’s trophy celebrations meant that the United defender did not return to Carrington until December 28. By this point, the Reds had already returned to Premier League action, and in his absence, Ten Hag opted to play Luke Shaw at centre-back.

Ten Hag is keen to have a right-footed centre-back on the right, and a left-footed centre-back on the left. With both Maguire and Lindelof being right-footed, it was Shaw who was named in the starting line-up against Nottingham Forest, and the England international – typically a full-back – thrived in that position.

The Reds cruised past Steve Cooper’s side, and Shaw was relatively untroubled. Given his strong showing against Forest, he started alongside Varane once again against Wolves in the next match and impressed again. The 27-year-old moved back to the left against Bournemouth but returned to the middle against Everton in the FA Cup.

United secured another victory, with Shaw showing his versatility by performing well at the heart of defence. The level of his performances can be measured by the fact that Martinez’s only start since returning from the World Cup came against Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup.

Roy Keane, speaking after the win over the Toffees, suggested that Shaw would not start at centre-back in matches against ‘tougher opponents’. He was wrong. Ten Hag opted for the Englishman in that position against Manchester City in the derby on Saturday.

Up against Erling Haaland – a striker who had 27 goals in 23 appearances coming into the derby – Shaw was under pressure to deliver, especially with Martinez, Lindelof and Maguire all sat on the bench. The fact, then, that the Norwegian striker failed to even register a shot on target shows how well Shaw, and his teammates, dealt with City’s main attacking threat.

Luke Shaw in action against Manchester City. (Image: 2023 Man Utd FC)

Ten Hag clearly views Shaw as a legitimate option at centre-back. The Dutchman would not have played him there against one of the best sides in the country if he didn’t. While his strong performances at the heart of defence are likely to mean even less football for the likes of Maguire and Lindelof, they should also prove that United don’t need to strengthen in that area this coming summer.

Varane’s injury troubles in recent seasons could lead the Reds to sign a new centre-back in the next year or so, but there is certainly a suggestion that Shaw’s emergence as a centre-back option should see United focus on other areas of the team moving forward.

As an example, the Reds are going to need to spend big on a striker in the summer. Wout Weghorst has arrived on loan until the end of the season, but Ten Hag will be keen to ease some of the burden on Marcus Rashford, who has performed exceptionally well from the left wing this term.

While playing Shaw at centre-back might have been a stop-gap option against Forest, he has demonstrated that he is more than capable of delivering there against the best teams. Martinez is likely to return at some point, but for now, having the option to play Shaw in that role is having several benefits – and that could be the case in the long-term, too.

source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/